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The Vatican celebrated Easter on Sunday without Pope Francis presiding, as the 88-year-old pontiff continues his recovery from a near-fatal bout of double pneumonia. In his place, Cardinal Angelo Comastri, the retired archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica, celebrated the open-air Mass before thousands of people in St. Peter's Square and delivered the homily that Francis had prepared. Francis has only appeared in public a handful of times since returning to the Vatican on March 23 after a 38-day hospital stay. He skipped the solemn services of Good Friday and Holy Saturday leading up to Easter, but he was expected to make an appearance on Sunday, according to the Mass booklet and liturgical plans released by the Vatican.